Many golf players change their golf gloves when they get dirty. Most recreational and professional golfers change their gloves every few weeks.
You can avoid this expense if you know how to clean golf gloves. Golf gloves may be some of the cheapest golf gear, but you can still save on them by sticking to an adequate cleaning routine.
To clean your golf gloves, you simply need to use water and soap gently on them and then allow them to air dry.
In this guide, we will discuss in detail how to clean golf gloves and every other thing you need to know as a beginner.
Why You Should Clean Your Golf Gloves
You should clean your golf gloves to ensure they stay in good shape. A dirty glove can affect your game and can cause you to incur unnecessary expenses. Additional reasons exist for cleaning your golf gloves – we shall examine the important ones in this section.
To Improve Your Game
Your golf glove is the link between you and the club – if your gloves are dirty or moist, your grip can shift just as you are about to hit the ball. This, and similar occurrences, can frustrate your efforts quickly. Make sure that your glove is always clean during a game.
To Protect Your Gloves from Damage
Another reason you should always keep your gloves clean is to help protect them from damage over time. Golf gloves experience wear and tear over many games. After a while, you will need to change them.
However, you can use them longer than you expect if you keep them clean.
To Save Unnecessary Costs
The quality of golf gloves often determines their durability. However, the level of maintenance can also determine how often you have to change your golf gloves. If you are using leather gloves, they last longer than their synthetic counterparts.
However, you will need to change your gloves more often if you do not clean them after every use. Doing this will help you save unnecessary costs by changing golf gloves frequently.
How to Clean Golf Gloves On the Course
There are two methods to clean golf gloves – on the course or a deep cleaning back home. In this section of the guide, we’ll focus on cleaning your golf gloves on the course and discuss the second method later.
Rinse
Immediately after your round, you should pour cold water over your gloves. This will ensure that the sweat and dirt are quickly removed. You should use cold water because warm water may cause your leather golf gloves to shrink.
Using cool water will remove the contaminants and leave your gloves in a decent shape.
Remove Dirt
After rinsing your dirty gloves, use a clean towel to carefully remove all the dirt on them. Focus on the dirty spots and avoid rubbing the surface too hard. Rubbing or scrubbing your golf gloves harshly will damage the material, especially if it’s leather.
Use a damp towel to clean the dirty spots and let the water wash the grimes away. This is something you can do in the course’s bathroom.
Dry
The next step is to dry your leather gloves, and there are various ways to do this. You can hang the gloves on your golf bag or leave them on your hand. Many people prefer to do a quick clean with gloves on. Leaving your gloves on while cleaning will help to keep the gloves in good condition.
Another option is to use a dry towel to soak up the excess water. The most important thing is to avoid heat and leave it to air dry.
How to Clean Golf Gloves at Home
Knowing how to clean golf gloves at the course is excellent for preventing dirt from sinking into the material. However, your golf gloves sometimes require more than a quick rinse. You must get home and settle down to the task in these situations. The process is almost the same, but this requires more attention.
Wash
You may have heard that washing your all-leather glove might ruin the material. There’s some truth in this, as continuous washing may adversely affect the glove.
What you need to do is to pour water over the leather or synthetic gloves. You can soak it in cold water for a few minutes if necessary. Then, remove the glove and start removing the dirt.
Rub Off Dirt and Grime
To rub off dirt and grime, get a clean cotton towel and start rubbing the material. You can make soapy water with dishwashing soap if you see any stubborn stains.
You can also use a soft brush if necessary, but a bathroom towel is usually enough to do the trick. Rub off the surface dirt one spot at a time until it is all gone. Then dry your gloves for another use.
Air Dry
Before using your clean leather golf gloves after washing, you must allow them to dry. You should not store a wet glove, as this will gradually affect the material. Be sure to dry your gloves well before using or storing them.
Once they are dry, put them in a Ziploc bag, leather glove bag, or case before throwing it into your golf bag.
Five Tips to Take Care of Your Golf Gloves
Cleaning is not all you need to do to keep your golf gloves in good shape. You also need to have a great maintenance plan. Here are five tips to help you take better care of your leather or synthetic golf gloves.
Always Have a Towel on Hand
Sometimes, you mistakenly wipe your sweaty face with your hand while your gloves are still on. This seemingly innocuous act can add to the grime on your leather gloves over time. The best way to avoid this is always to have a clean towel. You can use your golf towel to clean your face, golf club, and sweaty hands.
Air Out Your Gloves Between Holes
One of the best ways to prevent excess moisture build-up is to air out your glove between holes. You can leave your gloves hanging out of your pocket or golf bag.
While your gloves air out, the excess moisture leaves and your palms get drier. Some golf coaches switch to extra pairs of gloves between holes. You can adopt this habit to keep your dual gloves in good shape.
Clean Your Hands Before Wearing Gloves
Many people know what comes in contact with the outside part of their gloves but not the inner parts. Meanwhile, both contribute to the overall condition of your gloves. You must clean your hands of dirt or any substance that may impact the durability of golf gloves before wearing yours.
A typical example is the sunscreen creams that some golfers apply to protect their faces from challenging weather conditions.
Store Your Gloves Properly
Storing your clean gloves properly will help to keep them in good condition. Some golfers unceremoniously dump their gloves with the rest of their favorite golfing gears. This practice will damage your gloves in the long run. Instead, habitually clean your golf gloves immediately after a round and store them appropriately. Appropriate storage includes a Ziploc bag, a leather bag, or the case your gloves came in when you bought them.
Invest in Quality
Quality gloves are often reliable. Leather gloves are more expensive than synthetic gloves but they last longer. If you want a durable golf glove, you should opt for a type made with leather material.
Getting the right glove would require diligence, as some manufacturers boast outstanding quality but don’t match up. Therefore, you must carefully research and assess gloves and read reviews before choosing the one you prefer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Different opinions exist about cleaning golf gloves. We have answered some of the frequently asked questions here.
Can I wash my golf gloves?
Yes, you can wash your golf gloves. Washing your golf gloves requires a different approach. You should not leave a leather glove in water for too long, or it would weaken the material. You must also remember to use mild soap, preferably dish soap while washing it. Finally, air dry it away from any direct heat.
Can I machine wash golf gloves?
You shouldn’t machine wash golf gloves – most gloves are not made to undergo machine washing. The process is harsh on the breathable mesh materials golf gloves are made of. Since golf gloves are generally easy to hand wash, there is no reason to use a washing machine. Machine washing can also expose your gloves to a heat source that can cause damage over time.
How can I clean smelly golf gloves?
Golf gloves rarely get smelly. However, if you have left your golf gloves unclean to the extent that they are smelly, you have some work to do. You should start with a general cleaning using water and soap.
If that does not remove the smell, use shaving cream to mask the odor. This is some trick hockey players use to hide smelly equipment. Finally, you can put dryer sheets in the gloves after use to remove moisture and mask foul odors.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to clean golf gloves is a skill every golfer should acquire. Properly cleaning gold gloves will help you enjoy your gloves for longer. It also provides you with all you need to take good care of your gloves without incurring extra costs.
This guide focuses on how to clean golf gloves and every other detail you need to know as a golfer. After reading this guide, you should have no problem making your golf gloves squeaky clean.
